Her Butler, Imposter
by Isolabella Storm
Summary: Genevieve Abbey has waited six long years to end her contract with her butler, Maga, and now the wait is finally over, and she'll die in peace, her soul belonging to Maga. Or will she? Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler fan fiction - I do not own Kuroshitsuji.
1. Prolouge

*Quick Note* I'm totally aware that Claude is the cover image, but he just reminded me more of the way I see Maga in my head than anyone else.

* * *

"Maga, is this truly the end?" She asked as she watched the Phantomhive Mansion burn for what would be the third and final time.

"Yes, Mistress." He affirmed and a small smile glanced her lips.

"No need for formalities, Maga, dearest. You are not longer contractually obligated to do anything for me, it's my turn to keep up my end of the bargain we made six years ago." She unbuttoned the top button of her dress and pulled the fabric aside just enough to expose the intricately designed pentagram on her shoulder, made in the prettiest of purple inks. An identical mark lay on Maga's wrist, binding the two of them together, but not for much longer. He'd take her soul soon, and she was fine with that. She was at peace. She had gotten what she wanted. Revenge. She'd never been so content, not even before everything went wrong.

"I will be treating your soul with great respect Mistress. I've cultivated it this long, a few more hours of proper treatment will do you no harm." He smiled, and she knew then that everything was over. He never smiled, never. He wasn't the kind to smile, and she knew that if he was smiling this was an iconic moment for him.

"What's so special about my soul Maga?" She asked him as the carriage bounced and tumbled down the dirt road in the opposite direction of the one they had come. She didn't know where he was taking her, but she didn't particularly care either. Her life was over, and as far as she was concerned no matter what he said every moment of the rest of her short life belonged to him.

"Nothing in particular, My Lady, rather the it is the things that have touched your soul that make it unique. Not many have lived through what you have, my dear Mistress." He told her, kissing the back of her hand as though to assure her of her worth.

"Will it hurt?" She wondered, there was no fear in her. There was no need for fear. She knew that if she was hurt it was only a part of the bargain, it was nothing that could be helped.

"Yes, but I will do my best to assure that the pain is as minimal as possible." He smiled again.

"Will you stop smiling, you don't smile." She snapped. It was irritating her. She liked his stoicism. It had been one of the only constants in the last six years.

"My apologies, Mistress." He said, his face blanking. She sighed in content and looked out the window at the orange lighting up what should've been a pitch black sky.

"Mistress." Her butler called to her, and she turned to face him.

"Get down under the seat please." He said to her.

She crooked her head, but did as she was told just in time to watch several knives lodge themselves into the floor of the carriage, piercing right through the roof of the carriage. She had learned never to question the advice of her demon butler.

"It looks like it isn't quite over Mistress."

She sighed. "Damn, and I was so looking forward to having my soul eaten." She said dryly as there was a loud thud on top of the carriage and it lurched. She braced herself as best she could as the carriage rocked unstably. Maga actually laughed. She hated it when he showed emotion.

"Stay here, Mistress. I'll handle this." Maga told her, and she nodded, though he most likely couldn't see her. So they hadn't finished as they assumed they had.


	2. Her Butler, Abandoner

_It was dark, something that Genevieve wasn't used to. It was never dark, Maga made sure of that. He knew how she detested the lack of perception that came with darkness. The room that she was sitting it was dark, and cold, and musty, almost like a dungeon..._

_Her mind was immediately drawn back to a place she sincerely did not want to be, and she shook her head, clearing it of the menacing memories of her past, of her pain and her loss. She didn't want to remember those things. Where was Maga? She needed a distraction._

_"Maga?" She called into the darkness. "Maga, Come!" She commanded him, only to remember that he no longer took orders from her, their deal was through, but even so, this seemed unlike Maga, to just leave her here in the dark. Then, what did she really know about her blue-green eyed demon butler?_

_"Mistress?" His voice called to her from somewhere, and suddenly there was light, and the cold and mustiness dissipated, leaving her standing alone in a long hallway illuminated by windows that let in a blue-white light that couldn't be natural, but it couldn't be anything else. It was such a comforting light. Lining the right wall were mirrors as long and as tall as the wall, making a perfect reflection of their counterpart, bouncing the light from the window back outside. The dark carpet beneath her suddenly bare feet was soft to the touch._

_The whole hall was a contradiction of dark and light. Farther down the windows disappeared and the light was fainter. That was where she caught a glimpse of deep almost black hair, and a uniform that she'd know anywhere._

_"Maga?" She called, "Maga, what's going on? Where are we?" She called as she started after his disappearing figure. While he seemed to be getting closer as she ran the hallway also seemed to be getting longer, and she was growing impatient as she was continually unable to catch up with her demon butler._

_She felt her entire body force her to stop unconsciously as she reached the end of the windowed section of the seemingly infinitely long hallway. She couldn't continue. It was too dark. She couldn't go into the darkness, it scared her._

_"Maga?" She asked carefully, straining her eyes as she attempted to catch a glimpse of him down the dark endless tunnel. "Maga, can we go home?" She asked, tears springing to her eyes. She hadn't realized how truly dependent she had become on her butler to take the darkness away. The darkness was when they struck, when they hurt her. Always under the cover of darkness, every time it got dark, without fail, they were there to hurt her and her baby._

_Every single time._

_"Maga this isn't funny!" She screeched through her soft sobs. "MAGA COME HERE NOW!" She shrieked. _

_Suddenly the light from the windows disappeared and she was plunged into compete darkness. It was so dark she couldn't even see her feet. She moved to the side, looking for the walls that had been there just moments before, but they were nowhere to be found. The smell of stale urine and body odor filled her nostrils and she gasped and sobbed as she was forced to relieve her year of torment._

_The first hand struck her, knocking her to the ground with it's force, and another blow landed on her side. Why could they see in the darkness? How could they see in the darkness. How could they kick and hit her when she couldn't even see her own hand? A sob threatened to escape her, but she forced it back, she wouldn't give whoever was hurting her the satisfaction of knowing she was in pain._

_A particularly hard kick knocked her in her stomach, and she gasped in shock when her hands flew to a familiar feeling bulge in her belly._

_Her baby._

* * *

"MAGA!" She screamed, sitting up right in a comfortable, but unfamiliar, bed. It was night time, but there was light. On the simple but elegant bedside table a lone candle sat, illuminating the room with orange and deep shadows that danced like ballerinas. She clutched her racing heart and glanced around the room. Her throat hurt, but she dare not take a sip from the ominous glass of water sitting beside her bed.

"It isn't poisoned, if that is why you are hesitant. Unlike you my master and I have no desire to kill you." A deep lilting voice spoke from the direction of the door. She drew the covers up around herself as she noticed a dark silhouette set with blood red irises.

"Relax, I mean no harm. My Lord has instructed me to see to it that your needs are met until you are once again in good health," the silhouette spoke. Her hands flew to her stomach on instinct. But there was no bulge, no baby, no life, like there hadn't been for nearly six years.

"Who are you?" She questioned, "And when was I not in good health?"

"My apologies Miss," The silhouette bent and she realized that it was bowing. "I am Sebastian Michealis, butler of the Phanotomhive House."

"The Phantomhive House is ash."

"Yes, thanks to you, it is, but I still serve Lord Phantomhive." The butler stepped into the light. "Would you prefer tea to water, you were screaming for an awfully long time. I'm sure you're throat hurts."

"Where is Maga?" She demanded, ignoring his question.

"Ahh, a good question indeed. Where is Maga? I do not know. After you were injured he made his leave, and rather than pursue him I treated your injuries" He told her smoothly. Her brows furrowed. There was that talk of being injured again. She couldn't remember being injured.

"When was I injured?" She repeated.

"When I was pursuing you and your butler. Unfortunately the seat he asked you to get under didn't block the entirety of my assault on your carriage. One of my knives buried itself in your stomach. You are fortunate to be alive and breathing." He assured her. She cocked her head.

"I don't recall such an instance." She murmured.

"Yes, you also hit your head quite hard when the carriage tilted. Your shinigami should've been more careful with you." The butler had very hard and defined features. He was slim, and anyone would say that he was far beyond handsome, anyone but her that was. She no longer looked at men that way. The only man she knew she could trust was her Maga, and even he she trusted just enough not to mutilate her.

Shinigami...

"What is a Shinigami?" She questioned him, curious as to the term he had used.

"A Grim Reaper."

"When did I have a Grim Reaper?" She asked, letting her hand trail under the blanket, and sure enough beneath her long night shirt that had pooled around her thighs there was a bandage.

"We will talk of this in the morning Miss. Please, drink some water and sleep peacefully." He bowed to her as quietly as he had appeared, closing the door and leaving her alone in the candle lit room with a full glass of water, and her thoughts.

"Maga..." She pouted unsure of herself. She'd never felt so alone. No, that was a lie, she just hadn't felt this alone in a long time, but she had certainly felt this alone before. She had felt this alone when she was child, a young girl with another life growing inside her and no way to protect it, but even then she had the child to comfort her, to talk to, to praise and coo to. She had no one now. Not even her Maga.

It was then that she realized that her clothes had changed, and with no Maga she wasn't comfortable with the new garments. She just hoped the ominous butler hadn't been the one to change her. She shuddered at the thought. She glanced around the candle-shadowed room once again, this time looking for something she could use as means of escape. She had not heard the door lock. She wasn't sure if she was free to go as she pleased, but she pleased to go now. She didn't like strange places and she wanted to go home if Maga wasn't here to take her soul.

When she stepped out of bed slowly there was a deep twinge of pain in her stomach and she looked down to see her night gown and her bandages soaked with blood. She had forgotten about her injury; they probably suspected that such a thing would keep her bedridden.

"I will die before I am so defenseless in someone else's domain." She said through gritted teeth as her soft bare feet hit the cold floor with soft thuds.

* * *

He watched his strong little mistress clutch her stomach as she forced herself out of her bed and onto her feet and fumbled towards the door. The damn demon had come so close to revealing him to her, and how dare he. The Shinigami had every intention of telling his mistress the truth in his own time, and now was not the time.

She shivered and he noticed the blood oozing from her stomach. He felt a pang of guilt rush through him. He shouldn't have left her. He was lucky the demons had decided not to take her soul, but he didn't want to know what they had planned for her. He was sure Sebastian knew he was there, and wasn't sure why he was making no move to eradicate him, but he wasn't taking any chances. He just watched his Mistress as she made her way to the door, only to have it open before she reached it.

"Please, Miss, lay back down." Sebastian spoke, and he held back his growl. Sebastian did not even glance in his direction, but Maga was sure he knew he was there.

"No, I'm going to find Maga, and I'm leaving." She told him stubbornly.

Sebastian glanced at him, and he froze.

"Well come in now, before she kills herself." He said stoically, and the Shinigami blinked before letting himself in through the window.

* * *

*Quick Note*

So is this alright? Does it make sense? Any comments or concerns as to... well anything? If you're taking the time to read it I think the most fair thing I can do is make sure that it makes sense, right? Hope you like it so far, but if you don't it won't hurt my feelings. I solemnly swear, because I'm up to no good. ;)


	3. Her Butler, Savior

***Quick Note***

**Yay! Last update of the year :) I've never been happier. I really like the way that this came out, I think it made sense, but wasn't too incredibly revealing, and I'm so excited for the next chapter! I'm finally going to tell you why Maga ran off! I'm probably not making any sense right now, because it's very late, and I'm currently on a sugar high but AHHHHHH I'm so excited for the next chapter. I'm going to have to start it now, I just cant wait! Anyway, see you all next year. Well, not really, I'll never see any of you... but yeah :D Happy Reading!**

**Oh, and Happy New Year**

Genevieve's head whipped to the side at the words of the demon and the simultaneous sound of the window pulling open. She was relieved to see her demon butler, and then she was angry.

"Why you horrid being." She spat at him. "You left me to die." She accused him. He down cast his eyes and bowed respectfully to his Mistress.

"I apologize My Lady. I do not know what came over me." He stayed bent over, awaiting her forgiveness, but she just stared at his slumped form disgustedly.

"You're a pitiful excuse for a butler, and a demon. Not even staying to protect the soul that you're contracted too. Disgusting. If I weren't still bound to you I'd make you leave, but alas." She sighed and rubbed her head as she was guided back to the bed, her head was woozy, and she was starting to see black spots. "My soul belongs to a coward." She grumbled as a maid was called in to tend to her wounds and she slipped into a state of consciousness that seemed rather like sleeping.

She could feel the gentle hands of a maid pulling up her night to examine the wound, and then felt the same careful hands put the bandage around her waist once again.

"She is right you know, Shinigami, you are a pitiful excuse for a demon." Sebastian told the now erect Maga, who was looking at what he thought was his sleeping Mistress with pain and regret in his eyes.

"My only intention when I tricked her into thinking I was a demon was making sure she was happy and well cared for. I'd never seen such a tortured soul." Maga spoke with sadness.

"Nor have I for that matter, but was it really wise to lie to her, Maga?"

"No, I suppose that it wasn't." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "But I couldn't think of any other way to convince her to trust me. It was a split second decision that I wish I could take back."

"Well, it's a bit late for that, Shinigami."

"You think I don't know that demon?" Maga asked angrily. "I'm perfectly aware that it's too late, and if for any reason she finds out that I've been lying to her this whole time… she'd never forgive me. I only wanted to give her what everything she wanted. It's hard not to pity her."

"I don't think she wants your pity. She doesn't seem the kind." Sebastian spoke, "I'll leave you alone, but do not try and escape with her. My Master is interested in her, and her soul, and I fear to think what may happen to you should he decide to send me after you."

"I wouldn't dare risk moving her." The Shinigami groaned, looking down at his pale Mistress. "This really is all my fault, isn't it?"

"Every bit of it, unfortunately." The butler said coolly before exiting, closing the door behind him without a sound. The Shinigami examined the face that he had come to know like the back of his hand, noting the new crease in her brow, probably from pain, and the small part in her lips, her slight panting. It reminded him of the first time he had laid eyes on her.

* * *

_He had left the way of a reaper behind nearly a month before he met the darling little girl he now called his mistress. He had taken to making acquaintances with demons, who were often good suppliers of information, and in order to maintain such acquaintanceships he had been forced to endure the company of demons on a regular basis. _

_On his particular night he was in the lair of some particularly nasty demons who took to feasting on souls at will. The demons disgusted him, infuriated him, nearly breaking through his usually cool façade with their antics, but today he was playing cards with them, as though all was well._

_He had been sitting at a table, playing poker with a bunch of demons in their true forms when he heard it. He had heard the noise each time he had visited the demon lair, but for some reason this time the noise resonated in his ear as particularly pain filled. It was the scream of a young girl in tragic pain. He looked up at the demons he was playing cards with, and asked them coolly, with very little interest._

_"Who is she?"_

_Once of the demons snorted. "A brat. She was found after a band of us raided her mansion, but her soul wasn't worth the energy it would take to get it out of her body."_

_"Then why did you keep her? Why not simply kill her?" He asked, throwing in all of his chips._

_"Bad move Shinigami." The demon he had been speaking to then revealed a hand that had to have been cheated, but the Shinigami allowed the demon to take his money none the less as he waited for the answer to the question. He often let the demons win such things, knowing that it was better for business. "Her body was worth more alive than dead." The demon laughed maliciously, and the Shinigami was filled with pity for the poor girl. To be the play thing of a band of demons, she didn't have a chance._

_"How long have you had her?" He asked, trying not to seem overly curious._

_"A year in human years I'd think." The demon laughed. "We've never had a pet last that long, it was shocking, and with a child to boot." The demon roared with laughter now._

_He hadn't expected that, a month or two maybe… but a year, a whole year being tormented by demons. After that had sunken in he recollected something else the demon had said._

_"And with a child…"_

_"A demon child?" He asked, shock in his tone._

_"I would think so, she was a virgin when we found her." A different demon answered, and the one he had been speaking to before smacked said demon a top the head none too gently he would assume._

_"You're an idiot. The human gestation period is nine months; whether or not she was a virgin a year ago has nothing to do with it." _

_The hit demon whimpered like a kicked puppy, and the Shinigami thought it was ironic that he could cause pain, but not take it._

_"May I see her, a demon baby, that's quite remarkable." The Shinigami stayed blank faced._

_The demon laughed and stood from his chair, moving towards the back of the room where a door was. "I see no reason not to, and I'm feeling especially generous today, you can even use her if you'd like." The demon cackled, opening the door._

_The room was dark and dank and he was sure that the girl couldn't see. He had to allow his eyes to adjust, but soon he was able to see, just slightly, and he made out the girls outline in the corner, along with small whimpers. "We killed the child a few days ago, but you're welcome to the girl, as her whatever you'd like about it, you've always been a curious one, and if she does not comply… well I'll let you decide how to punish her." The demon cackled and shut the door, leaving Maga alone with the young girl. He moved towards her, and even blind she moved away. She must have gotten good at echolocation, as dark as it was._

_"I will not hurt you child." He said softly, moving slowly towards the girl. As he got closer he realized exactly how young she was. She wasn't even a teenager yet, he was sure. Her deep brown eyes were reserved, and unbelieving, and he wondered how many demons had told her the same thing, only to let her down when they abused her. Her kneeled next to her, and where he expected her to flinch she didn't. She didn't struggle as he placed his hand on her swollen cheek, her eyes were hard and unfeeling, much too shielded to be natural to such a young girl._

_He stared into her strong unwavering eyes for what felt like eternity. He felt so lost in her beautiful eyes. He knew in that moment, in that one instant, that he had to protect this innocent child. She had seen too much with her eyes, much too much._

_"My name, is Maga. What is yours?" He wasn't sure why he had told her such a lie, but he had, and he wasn't going to be able to take it back now._

_She didn't speak, rather she just started it him, her gaze turning hard and angry. "I need not tell you my name for you to abuse me, just get on with it." She growled at him, and he was surprised that such a little being could have so much rage in her. She seemed so petite and broken before, but she hid it well beneath her mask of anger. So well he wasn't sure it was ever there. But it had to have been there. This poor girl._

_"I do not wish to abuse you. I wish to let you out of this place."_

_"Do you really?" She asked, him, obviously not believing a single word he spoke to her._

_"Yes, I really do, what would make you believe me?" He asked her, and she looked at him, well, sort of looked at him, as best she could in such low light, actually no light to her._

_"Make a contract with me then." She stated after a few moments. "Make a contract with me, and I will believe that you do not wish to hurt me." She told him, and he was hardly able to believe what he was hearing._

_The Shinigami stood, motionless as he stared at the girl. She thought that he was a demon. Why… that was absurd. He should've storm out from offense, but he didn't because he hadn't stated at any time that he was not a demon, and she had no way of knowing that he was not a demon, and if she had truly been locked in the room with no contact other than that of a demon then he couldn't be offended that she had assumed such a thing. It was a completely logical assumption. How she had knowledge of contracts when clearly these demons were not the type astonished him, but none the less he agreed. Why? He honestly just didn't want to see the girl in pain any longer._

_"Yes, alright, I'll make a contract with you, what are your terms." He asked her and she seemed shocked at his response. She had obviously not expected him to say yes. He had no idea how a contract formation worked, and he didn't care to know any more than he did._

_"Hey, it's awfully quiet in there. You didn't kill her, did you Shinigami?" The demon asked from behind the door, and the Shinigami sighed glad that the demon had not used his real name._

_"Think on that for a moment, yes? We will return to this matter shortly." The Shinigami stood and pulled from his pocket the Death Scythe he wasn't meant to have as a deserter, and moved towards the door quickly. So much for establishing contacts with these demons._

_The Shinigami pulled the door open and ran the tip of his Scythe through the demons heart, exposing a cinematic record he wasn't interested in, he moved on to the next demon, killing him as well, until all nine of the demons in the lair had perished at his hand, completely known to the young girl in the dark room, who sat motionless through the commotion, watching each of her tormentors finally fall to the ground dead, the way she had wished them to for so long._

_"Well," said the demon as he returned the scythe to it's proper place out of view "what do you say we speak somewhere a little less hostile, yes?" The Shinigami asked, pushing his glasses up his nose._

_"N-no, I don't trust you, I want to make the contract now." She said, voice wavering only once in the beginning, then staying strong._

_He sighed. "Very well, but you do know what a contract entails, do you not? I get your soul, child, is that what you want?"_

_"Y-yes." She said, uncertainly, but holding her chin high, telling him that she wouldn't take no for an answer. "I want to make a contract with you now."_

_"Very well, choose your stipulations."_

_She blinked dazedly. "What?"_

_He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "The contract, child, choose your terms for the contact, when do I get your soul?"_

_"When…" She seemed confused, but she brought herself out of it quickly. "Yes, well, um… you get my soul when… when…" She searched her brain for something, anything, a stipulation of some sort that was worth her life._

_Then she remembered the talk of the demons. _

"Sebastian sure led us good there, didn't he, who'da known that we'd get so much from one little mansion." The words echoed in her mind like a shout into a canyon. She knew then exactly what she wanted to make the stipulation of her contract.

_"You can have my soul once the demon Sebastian is killed."_

_"Sebastian? Sebastian who?" He questioned._

_"Sebastian… I don't know, the Sebastian that told those demons to attack the Abbey Mansion. I want that Sebastian dead, and then you can have my soul." She told him with certainty and confidence he was sure she didn't possess._

_"Very well, where would you like your mark?" He asked her, and she tilted her head._

_"Mark?"_

_"The seal of the contract, where would you like it?" He asked her stoically, but almost annoyed._

_"Oh, um…" She seemed uncertain. "Where would you suggest I put it?" She questioned him, and he sighed._

_"Your neck, perhaps."_

_She tilted her head. "Very well then." Her fingers glanced her neck and he reached out, placing his fingers over the spot. He had no idea how he was going to fake this._

_She started shuddering. "Is it supposed to hurt?" She asked through gritted teeth, and he felt a burning in his wrist as she asked the question. He looked down to see a black marking on his pale skin, a pentagram. Had he really bound himself to her?_

_"It will be over soon, just stay calm." He assured her, while a fire raged within his hand._

_She nodded, but did not scream, and if she was feeling anything like what he was he wondered how she wasn't screaming. He could endure pain like this easily, but she was a fragile little human girl,a young human girl at that, and she hadn't so much as whimpered. He realized then exactly how much pain she must have endure to be able to bear this._

_His cold Shinigami heart ached for her. _

_Slowly the pain subsided and he bowed to her. "I am at your service Mistress." He spoke to her gently. "What is your first order?"_

_She was silent for a moment before she finally swallowed hard and looked at him, still not able to actually see him. "I want to eat something Maga." She told him, and he bowed in observance her order._

_"Yes, My Lady."_


	4. Her Butler, Shocked

***Quick Note***

**Spoiler Alert, maybe I should've said that sooner, but this is based off of the ending of Kuroshitsuji II so if you haven't watched the whole anime… well you've been warned.**

***Another Quick Note***

**I'm becoming very tempted to put a little SebxCiel in this, but I'm not sure, because I'm just the worst at subplots, they end up taking over the story if I get to like them too much, and I really like SebxCiel, yes you caught me, I'm a fn girl. I spent the entire first season waiting for them to get together, even thought I knew they wouldn't, and even so it devastated me.**

**Sebastian and Ciel were actually supposed to die, this was supposed to be so different, but it just went off where it wanted to, and I wonder if I should just go ahead and do it. I mean, nobody's going to hate it, I'm sure it's like ****the ship ****but I'm afraid that It'll overpower the story.**

**What do you guys think? Should I add a little Sebastian and Ciel time? I mean, it probably couldn't hurt…**

**Ugh, I'm rambling, that wasn't quick at all, please, ignore me and go on with the story.**

* * *

He watched the young girl, remembering the time he had spent with her, watching her grow from a cautious young girl into a beautiful young woman good at hiding her pain. He still shuddered to think all the things his Mistress had gone through, even after all those years of comfort, the year of pain was what always shone in her eyes. Anyone who cared to look would see it, but sadly no one did. He seemed to be the only one who even saw the pain in her face, in the same way that he was the only one who knew, truly the pain that she had been through in her short life.

"You act as though she is important." A high-pitched but definitely male voice spoke from the door. She Shinigami did not turn at the address of Ciel Phantomhive, rather he took his Mistresses cool hand in his, declaring his ownership.

"She is very important, just as you were once important to Sebastian; her soul is mine." The Shinigami didn't look as the demon approached them.

"I still am important to Sebastian." He said disdainfully, touching Genevieve's face, trailing his fingers down to her mark. They weren't much different in age; he was only a year or two older than her. "But how can her soul belong to you, when you are not a demon?" He asked, with a _very_ mild curiosity, so mild in fact it was almost disinterest, which was characteristic of the earl.

"I'm not sure, but there is a seal, and we hold a contract. As soon as your butler is dead I will be set free, and her soul will be mine, to do with as I will." The Shinigami told the earl, still focused on the sweet face of his Mistress. He always thought she looked so at peace while sleeping, something he longed to be doing himself, but he dare not leave her unprotected.

"And what will you do with her soul, once you have it?" The young earl asked, and the Shinigami had no answer. He had wondered himself what he would do with her soul. He couldn't consume it, like a demon could, so what was he to do with it? He was fairly sure he was going to take a peek at her cinematic record. She rarely spoke of her life before the raid, and he was curious, but other than that, he wasn't sure. He supposed he'd just let her move on, even if he sincerely didn't want to kill her.

The butler brushed a stray hair from his Mistress' forehead, making the sleeve of his jacket roll up slightly, and exposing his seal to the prying eyes of the young earl, who immediately noticed, and commented.

"What is that, on your arm?" The young demon asked, and without asking what he meant the Shinigami replied.

"My contract seal with My Lady." He informed him, still not sparing the demon he hadn't see in several years a glance.

"It can't be, the seal for the Faustian contract does on the back of your hand." The demon boy said quizzically. "How strange, I'll have to enquire with Sebastian. In the meantime there's been a room prepared for you across the hall. You're obviously tired, the bags beneath your eyes are coal black, and your lids are droopy."

"I need not leave my Lady's side." The Shinigami assured the earl, and the boy made no attempts to refute him, simply left without another word. He could care less if the Shinigami slept or not he had other matters to attend to. He moved silently through the luxurious home he had recently purchased until he entered the kitchen where his demon butler was preparing tea for him. He took a seat atop the counter and watched the butler until he paid him notice. He should've gone to wait in his study, but he was curious immediately as to the answer to the question that was pounding inside of his brain.

"How can a Reaper have a Faustian Contract that isn't a Faustian Contract?" The demon boy asked his butler. Sebastian smiled as he cut a slice from the cake he had prepared earlier that evening for his master. Even as a demon Ciel had a sweet tooth.

"That is a very good question, My Lord, and I fear I do not have the answer." The butler poured a cup of tea for the earl and moved to set the tea and cake in the dining room. The earl sighed and followed, allowing his butler to seat him and he picked up his tea, taking a delicate sniff.

"Is the tea to my masters liking?" The butler questioned, and the earl took a sip.

"Yes, it's fine, I want to know more about the contract that the girl has with the Reaper."

"Is that an order?" The butler questioned, a small smile creeping its way onto his face.

"Yes, that is an order. I want to know everything, including what happens to her soul when the contract is complete. His seal is on his wrist, not on his hand, so it can't be a Faustian Contract. Go and find out what it is." The Earl demanded, and air of superiority about him that had only grown with time and age.

"Yes, My Lord." The butler bowed before making his exit from the room swiftly to do as he was ordered.

* * *

The sun was just rising as the Shinigami began to doze. He had tried to stay awake, but his attempts were finally failing as his lack of sleep caught up with him. He had now been up for twenty-four straight hours, and hour of which he spent killing a demon and burning down a mansion, which is more exhausting than it may seem.

His Mistress stirred slightly, and he was brought out of his sleep induced haze.

"Maga." She murmured, and a smile found its way onto his usually stoic face. She hated it when he smiled, or showed any sort of emotion really, but he was content to smile then. The way she said his name… he'd always thought it was adorable.

This was a daily occurrence; he was often the one to wake her and choose her clothes, leaving a tea service for her to indulge in while a maid dressed her, but he doubted she'd be getting out of bed today.

They had been contracted together for only a month when she'd started calling out to him in her sleep. The first time it had happened he had thought she had awoken, but alas, she was sleep talking. He had been fascinated by this, and had soon deduced that she was calling to him to wake her.

"My Lady." He said softly, standing and pulling his chair to the side to exude the air of a butler. He blinked himself awake as she stirred.

"Maga, my stomach hurts." She muttered, not opening her eyes. He smiled one last time at how cute his mistress was before becoming stoic, the way that she preferred him.

"My Lady, do you require medical assistance?" He asked her, and she shook her head.

"I'm hungry." She told him, and he smiled as she stretched felinely in the bed, only to recoil when she stretched out her injury. She whimpered, but only slightly, though he was sure it hurt her a great deal.

AS if on cue a maid walked in with a tray of food. The Shinigami took one whiff and knew that it wasn't up to par with what he would usually give his mistress, but it would simply have to do for the time being. The maid set the tray on the night stand and gave a respectful nod to the butler before pulling back the sheets of the guest and rolling up her night garment once again to check the wounds. The bandages were bled through again. She was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with the girl, but she said nothing as she removed and replaced the bandages as she had earlier that evening, and bowed quickly to both the Shinigami and his Mistress before leaving.

"I apologize that I did not prepare your breakfast myself, Mistress, it would seem that what has been prepared for you isn't quite up to par." The Shinigami apologized as he carefully assisted his Mistress into a slightly more erect stance so she could eat, careful not to put too much stress on her injury.

"It's alright Maga." She said as he tucked a napkin into her night shirt and pulled the covers up around her and set the tray on her lap so she could eat. "You know the difference between bad food and poisoned food, don't you Maga?" She asked her butler.

"Of course Mistress." The butler assured her, pushing his glasses up his face and suppressing a yawn.

"Then taste this and make sure they aren't trying to poison me. I don't trust these people, and if I could move at all I'd have you take me from here this instant."

"Of course mistress," He said, taking a convenient second fork from the tray and taking small tastes of the poorly made dishes to assure that they were not poisoned.

He doubted they were, and he also doubted they were cooked by Sebastian. He wondered where the butler was, if not making breakfast…

"Nothing is poisoned Miss." He assured her.

"Good, taste the tea as well Maga. I fear they'd be so cunning if they truly wished me dead."

He did as he was told, despite the truly inappropriateness of it, and then assured her once again that there was no poison, wiping the place where he had sipped with a clean handkerchief from his pocket. Only then did she proceed to delicately eat the food set before her, seemingly hesitant, but too hungry to gripe about it.

"I promise that as soon as we are gone from here you will be treated as you deserve, My Lady." The butler said to her discontent look.

"You're too kind Maga." She sighed, and took a sip of the tea. "Find out what tea this is, before we leave, I quite like it." She told her butler, taking another sip of the berry-scented tea that slid smoothly down her throat. "The tea is the only decent thing about this meal." She informed him, and he said nothing, though he did agree whole-heartedly.

"Yes, My Lady." He said, "But if you do not mind I'll hold off on your request for the moment. I fear for your safety, should I leave."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Maga." She said, pushing the tray slightly away from her once she had finished her tea. "I've had quite enough."

"Mistress, you've barely eaten."

"It hurts." She said as though she was saying that the sun had risen yet again.

_"It hurts."_

As far as he was concerned she'd never said that before. She'd never complained of pain before today. He hadn't caught her phrase earlier, but now it rang clear in his mind _"My stomach hurts."_ The butler had yet to take a full look at her wounds, and he hid his worry from his face.

Was something very wrong with her?

Was the wound more than superficial?

How could he have let this happen to her?

He groaned inwardly as he recalled his ridiculous reason for running away.

He didn't want to be found out.

He didn't want that damn butler to know that he was contracted to the girl, that he had left the way of the Shinigami and The Grim Reaper Dispatch Society. He didn't want the butler to know what he had been reduced to, and in a moment of pride and weakness he left his mistress undefended, fleeing.

He was so ashamed of his actions now, so very ashamed. Who in their right mind did such a thing? Who left a young girl defenseless in the hands of the very creature that had once tortured her endlessly? He was disgusting, and he knew it, and he just hoped she didn't see it, not yet, not before…

Before what? What was he waiting for? He knew at one point or another she'd find out and hate him for what he'd done, but why was he so determined to put the moment off?

Because he wanted as much time with her as he could steal. He knew that she didn't belong to him, not really, not the way he wished she did, and he knew full well that she'd never accept him as anything more than her butler, and perhaps that was why he craved it, craved what he couldn't have, what he shouldn't even think about. He coveted it though. Oh how he coveted it.

It was his fault that she was hurting, completely and entirely his fault, and he hated himself for his own stupidity. He just hated it.

She was staring into space as he took the tray from her, setting it on the night stand, out of habit he nearly folded back the covers, but she couldn't get up, and there was no point in making her cold. She sat in silence for so long that he began to doze even as he stood, but her soft voice brought him out of his daze.

"I've been thinking Maga," She started, not looking at him. "I've been thinking about how cowardly and irresponsible it was for you to leave, and how foolish of you it was to come back. You should've stayed gone Maga, because now I have to punish you. I can't have such a deed going without punishment, and we both know you deserve it."

"Very well, Mistress, if that is how you see fit." He assured her that there were no hard feelings. There were never hard feelings when it came to her punishments.

"It is how I see fit, do not let me forget, as soon as we are out of here, you are to be punished. I'd never punish you here; I have more respect for you than that." She spoke almost as if amused at herself for having respect for him, but he was glad just the same. He didn't want that damn butler to know that he was being punished by a seventeen year old girl, especially with the way she often did it. He wasn't sure he could take her sentencing with a straight face the way he knew she preferred if he knew the butler was around, listening and able to sense the guilty pleasure he attained from the lashes of his mistress' favorite whip. She was never cruel, always just with her dealings, she'd never lashed him more than thrice for a single offense, but he had a feeling he'd be getting a few more than three this time. He had to suppress a shudder at the thought of it.

It was ten in the morning when there was a small knock on the door. Until then the butler had sat in silence as his Mistress slept, but now he moved to open the door for the visitor. It was none other than the black clad butler.

He smiled a shit-eating grin, and the Reaper nearly growled. Even in his sleep-deprived state he could tell that the butler was up to absolutely no good.

"Good Moring, Shinigami, tell me, does your Mistress sleep?"

The Reaper nodded, and the butler seemed to glow. "Very good, then you won't mind taking a walk with me, will you?" He asked, that grin still plastered on his face.

"Actually, I'd prefer not to leave her." The Reaper negated cautiously, watching the butler warily with his yellow green eyes behind his thin glasses which he had procured after his desertion of the Grim Reaper Dispatch Society.

"Reaper, do you honestly think that I can hurt her while I'm with you?" The butler asked, still grinning that grin. Maga wanted nothing more than to wipe that ridiculous grin off his face with a nice hard smack.

"Come now, _Maga_, I could have easily already exposed you, and yet I have not. What reason do you have not to trust me?"

"You've hurt her once, whether it was inadvertently or not doesn't matter, you hurt her, and I'll never trust you with her." The Shinigami growled.

"I'm not asking you to trust me with her, I'm only asking that you allow me to give you a very crucial piece of information about the contract you have with her, which, by the way, is not Faustian Contract." The butler grinned.

That damn grin…

"What do you mean it isn't a Faustian Contract, what else could it be?" The Shinigami demanded loudly before remembering that his Mistress was still sleeping in the room right behind him. He shut the door and moved down the hall behind the fast retreating butler, hoping his mistress didn't wake to find him absent. He soon found himself in what he assumed was the study of Ciel Phantomhive. He assumed this because sitting behind a large and ornate rich wooden desk was none other than the maker of all of the mischief. Ciel Phantomhive.

Having not even glanced at him in their meeting much earlier that morning he hadn't noticed how much the demon boy had grown. It was strange to see him now looking so much more mature when last he had seen the boy he had been so young, a mere twelve years old. This boy had been the root of quite a few problems in the Shinigami world. There was a sudden panic about people getting turned into demons. It had never happened before, and it sent the whole Dispatch into an uproar. Luckily he left shortly after all that happened for his own personal reasons. With the luck of the Dispatch they were probably still dealing with that mess of paperwork and research.

"Please, _Maga_ have a seat, won't you?" He asked gesturing to a chair in front of the desk that was just as ornate as the desk itself with a beautifully patterned black and gold cushion sitting on it.

"No, thank you, I'd prefer to stand, now what's this about it not being a Faustian Contract?" The Shinigami asked the butler, who was still _just grinning. _It was driving the poor Shinigami absolutely mad.

"Exactly what he's said, it isn't a Faustian Contract." The demon boy was smirking, eyes closed like he was relishing the Shinigami's anguish.

"Then what is it!" The Shinigami demanded frantically, both demons looked on the verge of breaking into hysterics.

"I've done some research, Maga, and you'll find that seeing as you are selling your soul to the devil only a demon can make a Faustian Contract with a human. The Contract that you've made with Miss Abbey is not a contract at all, it's a form of courting not used my Shinigami since long before you time, or even the Undertakers time. This is the first time is has surfaced in centuries, and there is a reason for that. The mark is quite permanent, and is meant only for those who interspecies relationships that are so serious neither can live without the other." Maga was sure the grin would never leave the butlers face.

"Upon completion of the request of Miss Abbey, specified at the time the seal was made, she will go through a month long phase of sleep, and turn into a Shinigami, and should anything happen to Miss Abbey, or should the contract for any reason not be completed upon her death or yours, the other would parish. The seal has bound you to each other completely, almost like a marriage; except there is no taking this back, not unless you're willing to die."

The demon looked positively amused, and the boy behind the desk looked like he was holding in giggles. Giggles from Ciel Phantomhive, the stoic little demon child. This was most certainly bad, there had to be more, because they exchanged a knowing glance.

"In order for her to complete her transformation a Shinigami of the Personnel Department must induct her into the Dispatch before her month is up. If it is not done by then you will both die."

Shit-eating grin, the damn butler was wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Damn it." He muttered, and the Phantomhive child finally burst into laughter, holding his sides, enjoying the predicament of the Shinigami. Had Maga been paying more attention to his surroundings rather than locking himself in his head as he thought he might have noticed the side long glance the demon threw his master, eyes full of an emotion very inappropriate for a butler

* * *

***Quick Note***

**There, now if I want to do a SebxCiel bit I can, or Sebastian can be glaring at Ciel's annoying laugh, who knows!?**

**Seriously, who knows. I haven't got a clue yet.**

**So, Maga's identity = next chapter. Hope to see you there ;)**


	5. Her Butler, Grieving

When Genevieve awoke it was to find a screaming Maga standing at her door, and quickly leaving her. She was not happy to say the least. One she had been awoken from quite a nice nap, and two, she was being abandoned, yet again by her less than worthy butler.

"That's two extra lashes for you." She muttered as she threw the covers off of herself and set of in pursuit of her bad butler, consequences be damned. The pain in her stomach was bearable, but only slightly, and as she slipped her feet into a pair of conveniently placed slippers she looked around for a dressing gown.

She located one hanging neatly by the door, and she was glad she didn't have to go out of her way to be decent as she hobbled through the pain towards he door after her butler. She was not going for any other reason than she wanted to know what was going on. She felt like something was being hidden from her, and she didn't like it. She had always told her butler never to lie to her, but she had the very distinct feeling that while she wasn't being lied to she wasn't being told the whole truth either.

She opened the door silently, and followed an eerily familiar voice down a hall, until she came to a set of rather ornate doors. She stood silently outside them as she listened to what was being said. _"The seal has bound you to each other completely, almost like a marriage; except there is no taking this back, not unless you're willing to die."_

_"In order for her to complete her transformation a Shinigami of the Personnel Department must induct her into the Dispatch before her month is up. If it is not done by then you will both die."_

It was the butler from the night before, Sebastian, if she recalled correctly, which she almost always did. She also recalled the word _Shinigami _ No one ever did explain to her what it meant.

She opened the door, throwing caution to the wind and hoping that her butler was the one they were addressing so she didn't look like a horrid eavesdropper.

Yes, there was her Maga, standing and looking tortured, that was until he turned his head to face her, and his face drained of all color.

Her eyes were hard, and unreadable, but if he had to guess she'd assume that she'd be angry. Maybe he would think that they weren't talking about her, maybe.

"What is a Shinigami, why does everyone keep talking about them, and most importantly why in hell are you not in my chamber as you should be, Maga?" She asked him sternly and the butler bowed courteously.

"My apologies Mistress, I had some business to attend to, and did not think you would miss me." He said to her and she scoffed in a way that was certainly not lady like.

"In all truth I didn't miss you. I'll be glad to die and finally be rid of you, but didn't I give you an order not to leave me? I could've been killed! There are other servants in this house you bloody fool!" She growled sharply before turning to the person sitting behind the desk, the boy she assumed was the master of the house, seeing as he was Ciel Phantomhive. "My apologies, sir, but I'm sure you'll find my fears are warranted, are they not."

"Oh of course they are." The boy said in a tone that conducted the emotion of boredom. "I'd kill you instantly now if your situation weren't so entertaining to me. It's been a while since there was any real drama, and I'd like to see how this plays out." He waved her off and she narrowed her eyes.

"Entertaining." She hummed and then turned to her butler. "Maga, I've nearly killed myself coming to get you, I hope that you are happy with yourself."

"It never pleases me to see my Mistress in pain." The butler spoke, bowing and then moving to pick the girl up.

"Lunch is at noon and dinner is at seven if you're feeling well enough for it," Sebastian said as they walked away, smirking.

Ciel was holding in more uncharacteristic giggles, "They're acting like a couple already, aren't they Sebastian?" The earl grinned as he was poured a cup of tea.

"Yes, My Lord, I suppose they are." The butler smiled, amused by the situation, and he had every right to be, to have such a fate fall upon William T. Spears was delightful to the demon. He never had liked the Shinigami.

"I wonder why William left the Dispatch." The demon child wondered aloud. "This is the first I've heard of him ever breaking the rules, and deserting that's a very serious rule to break."

"Perhaps he just required a change of scenery, but even so, he has to go back, or he dies." The butler put a cake on the boy's desk and then bowed. "Quite amusing,"

"Yes, quite."

* * *

Genevieve relaxed in Maga's arms, the pain relieved slightly now that less pressure was on her, but she was still upset. "You are in a lot of trouble." She said not even looking up at her butler.

"My apologies, Mistress, please, forgive me." He pleaded monotonously, which always entertained her, though why she wasn't quite sure why, she just liked it. Though like may not have been exactly the proper time.

"I will, once you're punished, for this and leaving me earlier. You never learn, do you, Maga? I'm beginning to think you enjoy being punished." She told him, and he swore his heart dropped out of his chest in that instant. She couldn't know, she could never know. If she knew… he'd be mortified, especially with the newest twist in the less than simple problem.

"Maga…" She sighed, eyelids fluttering. He glanced down at her and noticed how the dressing gown she was wearing was coated in blood.

"Mistress," He stated urgently. "My Lady, please do not fall asleep." He told her as he walked faster than normal, careful not to jar her, until he reached the room she was being housed in. He set her on the bed and cleared away the dressing gown and night shirt to reveal completely soiled bandages, red as the blood seeping from the wound they hid.

_How in the world did she manage to stay quiet about this? _He wondered as he pulled the bandages off of her to see the wound for himself for the first time. It was deep, and should've been stitched. Guilt consumed him as he watched the blood seep from her, and heard the little groans of pain coming from her semi-conscious form. He should never have left her. This was his entire fault.

"She needs a doctor." He murmured to himself as he pressed the dressing gown to her bleeding wound, attempting to staunch the blood flow. "This isn't just a flesh wound. I'm sure of it." He looked down at his bleeding Mistress. His eyes were filled with pity, he had watched this girl grow up here he was watching her dying. Even now in the state she was beautiful. He couldn't help but realize that. He wished he had realized it sooner, he wished he had the chance to tell her. No, he wouldn't think like that, she was going to live. He hated himself for thinking like that. She couldn't die, not now. He hated to admit it, he really hated to admit it, but he loved her. He loved her with all of his heart, and even though he hated to admit he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Mistress," he pleaded, "Please, please don't die." For the first time in almost a century, he felt like crying. Seeing his pale Mistress's face, her eyes floating closed, he felt like crying. He'd never seen anything so pitiful, he'd never seen anything so weak but at the same time exuding strength. He knew that this was the result of a long hard fight, she'd been this way for three days, this had to have been going on longer than she let on. She'd been pain, he hadn't seen it but she had been in pain, and it was his fault.

"Pleading will get you nowhere," Sebastian said from the door, entering as quietly as he usually did. "Perhaps I should call a doctor."

"No." Maga stated firmly, "She hates doctors."

"She won't be around to hate doctors if you don't call one," Sebastian stated just as firmly.

"Fine then, call one, Now," Maga growled, he was beginning to lose his sense of reason. In all his life as a Shinigami, never had he felt so desperate to save a life. He had always been the one taking life, never saving them. This was new to him; he wasn't sure how to feel. Everything just seemed to hit him in a whirlwind.

"And who, may I ask, shall I call." Sebastian asked, a smile on his face; that damn shit-eating grin. If it weren't for the fact that it would upset her, he would kill the bastard right now. But he knew that she wanted to be around for that, so he put off his anger and made no move to rebuttal the grinning butler; rather he replied smoothly.

"Whoever will be able to get here the fastest," Maga said coldly returning to his usual stoic state. He knew that upon waking his Mistress would be happy to find that he had remained stoic for a majority of her time asleep. He never understood why that made her so happy, he was glad he was making her happy, she deserved to be happy. After everything she had gone through she deserved to be happy.

"I will see to it," Sebastian bowed mockingly, that shit-eating grin still playing on his lips like a bow playing the violin, anyone who didn't know the origin of the grin would think it was beautiful a light to the otherwise dark and dull face, not to say that the butler wasn't beautiful, just to say that his expression was anything but happy. In fact the stoicism of the butler's expression often mirrored Maga's, but unlike the Shinigami, the butler stoicism was from trade rather than habit, the Shinigami acted stoically to please his Mistress.

The Shinigami was left alone with his bleeding Mistress, still attempting to staunch the blood flow. He knew there was nothing he could do, and if any doctor could do, but he wished he could do something, anything. At this point he would do anything to save her. He would never understand why he loved her so much, but at this moment that wasn't what was important, what was important was that he loved her. The usually stoic butler laughed slightly, an act that would surely be punished by his Mistress should she find out, it was a wry laugh. Shinigami were not supposed to love, was not meant to be, and especially not with the human. Humans were so weak and fragile, they were not meant to last as long Shinigami, loves such as this were fated for death. He was a fool for thinking that she could love him or he her, it wasn't meant to be, there was no way could be ever, not even by a miracle. Any chance he may have had was undoubtedly broken in this moment. She would never forgive him for hiring a doctor. Doctors were what brought her to this terrible world, this terrible mess, a crucial fact that they'd only recently uncovered, unfortunately they had not uncovered this fact before the contract was made, now they had no choice but to fill the contract, even though now it no longer applied.

He held her hand, her fragile, pale, cold hand, it reminded him of a corpse. Her porcelain skin was turning a pale gray, the lifeless feeding from her, he was losing her to death.

Just as if out of nowhere a red-headed Shinigami burst through the door, chainsaw roaring, fingers by his mouth in his signature pose, tongue lolling from it, the idiot. Maga never hated anyone as much as he hated Grell Sutcliff. Already the Shinigami could feel a headache, an incessant, throbbing, irritation in the back of his mind. Leaving behind Grell Sutcliff had been the major highlight of leaving the Shinigami world, the Dispatch, that had been the one light in the great choice.

"William, darling, it's been so long. We miss you down at the Dispatch," Gross smiled his usual overly cheery smile, adding discreetly to himself, "but we certainly don't miss your rules, or you for that matter."

In a motion so fast it was almost a haze, the dark-haired deserter retrieved his death scythe, and used the clipper ended rod to beat the redheaded Shinigami none too lightly over the head, before advancing on the annoyance. "Why the hell are you here!" The Shinigami growled, careful to be quiet enough not to wake his exhausted Mistress. "I thought I got rid of you when I left the dispatch," William nearly ripped the head off the red-headed Shinigami. He was filled with anger and ready to burst, he was coming close to killing the bright red nuisance.

"William, dearie, you really left just for me," the Shinigami smiled nervously, glancing down at William's hold around his neck. "Why ruin our long-overdue reunion by killing me?" The Shinigami asked fearfully, not sure if the deserting Shinigami would show him the mercy he once did when bound by the rules.

"You didn't answer my question. Why the hell are you here?" The Shinigami's yellow-green eyes glared angrily from behind slick glasses, giving off an air of calm, collected, but insanely dangerous power. The redheaded Shinigami gulped barely able swallow around the handholding tight to his throat. The Shinigami laughs nervously**.**

"Oh, that. Yes well, the girl, today she's scheduled to die so I'll just collect her soul and be on my way," the redheaded Shinigami continued with his small nervous giggling hoping that the dangerous, dark-haired Shinigami would pay him no mind and allow him to be on his way as soon as possible.

"_No_," the Shinigami murmured, "_She isn't going anywhere, she will not die. Not today."_ There was something insanely dangerous about the dark-haired Shinigami's voice in that moment, something that made Grell Sutcliff very unwilling to take the soul of the young girl lying sick and dying on the bed.

"Well, I don't really have a choice in the matter, you see the man who took your place is nearly as strict as you are and he would be very unhappy if I just didn't take her soul." The nervous giggling never ceased.

"I do not see how is any of my concern, go, now." The venom in the Shinigami's voice told Grell it would be wisest not to question the orders of the Shinigami, but he feared retaliation should he return without having killed the girl. He knew the penalty for not killing the soul without reason was steep, but he feared the penalty he received from William for taking the soul would be even steeper.

"Well William, if you're really so against it perhaps just this one time we can make an exception, hmm?" The Shinigami laughed it off, and breathed a sigh of relief when he was released by the dangerous dark-haired Deserter. "Well, it was nice seeing you again. I would say I hope to see you again soon, but after that little incident, that would be a lie. I think I'll just be off then, if you happen to see Sebastian let him know I said hi. That little brat of his really gets on my nerves, I ran into him on the way here, if only he weren't a demon."

"Demons can still be killed by death scythes, Grell, if you really wanted to kill him you could, you're just a coward." The dark-haired deserter turned back to his Mistress, her face was still pale and she was struggling to breathe at this point; the redheaded Shinigami did not leave.

"Well I never," the Shinigami huffed, "I just don't want Bassy to mad at me." The Shinigami looked at the young dark-haired girl lying on the bed, "who is she anyway? Why is she so important?" The Shinigami wondered aloud, tapping his finger against his chin arm crossovers stomach with his chainsaw still roaring; he was the perfect picture of stupidity.

"That is none of your business," the deserter spoke angrily, "I don't know who you think you are, asking me that."

"Well, considering that I'm going to have to report this… incident to the head of dispatch, I'd like to at least know why I'm going to get in so much trouble." The Shinigami offered as argument, feeling indignant at having been asked to do such a thing without even the slightest bit of reconciliation for his actions.

"No one is asking you to do this for free, you're doing this because you fear me, we both know that is the case. There is no need for me to reconcile you for this. Your reconciliation is me not killing you, which we both know I would do without hesitation." The dark-haired Deserter never even glanced in the direction of the red-haired Shinigami who was quaking in his boots, his disgustingly out of uniform boots. Even though he was no longer in charge, or any position to judge, he found the disrespect for the Shinigami uniform disgusting.

"Well," the Shinigami brandished his chainsaw, "if that's the case, I suppose I'll just have to kill her."

"You will do no such thing." The Deserter spoke stoically, pushing his glasses up his face was prepared for a fight. "You will die before you kill her."

The red-haired Shinigami looked the dark-haired deserter up and down quickly assessing that he had no chance of winning, and deciding that rather than risk damaging his beautiful face, he leave the girl be for another time. She wasn't going anywhere anyway.

The roaring chainsaw came to a quite stop, the red-haired Shinigami having conceded. "Fine," the Grell rolled his eyes, "Whatever, I have other things to do today anyway," the Shinigami feigned boredom, hoping to get out of the scuffle unscathed. "I have better things to do than collect the souls of meaningless little teen girls anyway. Bye, William," he waved and then he was gone.

"Why did he call you William?" A soft, weak voice asked from behind him.

"My Lady," the deserter murmured as he turned to his dying mistress.

"You didn't answer my question, why did he call you William?"

"Mistress, please, understand…" And in that moment, before he could even make a full plea the unthinkable but inevitable happened.

Her eyes floated closed, and her heart stopped beating.

No, this couldn't be happening, there's no way, the God of death left, and yet she was dead. It was impossible! How could it have happened? How could he let it happen? How?

He felt the stinging in his eyes, tightening in his throat, pain in his stomach this, was his fault despite everything it was his fault, he couldn't protect her. He had failed her, everything that happened was his fault.

"Mistress," he clutched her fragile dead hand, "Mistress, please Mistress," the first time in his entire life he cried, "Mistress, please don't die."

* * *

The door was open, he did know the door was open, he didn't see the two demons watching pitifully at the open doorway. Never had the two demons seen something so worth being pitied, the Shinigami was broken, the face they were looking upon was one of a truly desperate man, and they wondered how long it would take him to die now that she was dead.

"My Lord," Sebastian spoke softly, so as not to disturb the grieving Shinigami. "Should we tell him?"

"No, he's suffered enough," the child demon responded acting solely on a rare burst of mercy. "It is better this way."

* * *

***Quick Note***

**So, now that break is over updates will be weekly, on Saturdays, for this story, and Rosalie Gray on Sundays, but next weekend I have a thing, so the update may be a day late, and it may be a day early, it just depends.**

**And just to answer any questions you may have, if you have them, Maga is William, but he's changed, and deserted the Dispatch. Why? Well, I'm getting around to that, I'm not sure myself... yet.**

**Gene is dead. it makes me sad :( I teared up a little, I really didn't want to kill her, and now William/Maga has to die. I never really liked William, but Maga/William... Maga/William was the best. Maybe that was because I created him, but still, I love him, and now he has to die.**

**Or does he?**

**No, he does.**

**Probably.**

**Most likely**

**Definitely**

**Indefinitely**

**Now I'm just making things up, again, it's up in the air, give me a week to think about it, and you'll know by the next update, because if they both die suddenly the story is done, so... this may be the next to last chapter...**

**We'll see.**

**That's all for now in my not-so-quick Quick Note. **

**TaTa :)**

**-Isola**


	6. Her Butler, Conflicted

The Shinigami cried for the first time in his entire, long, reaping, life. He'd never been so destroyed by a death as he was the death of his first and only love. He had never been prone to emotions, even mercy until he set ear to the tormented screams of this young girl, and eyes to the pain that she carried day in and day out. Never in his long years had he ever known someone so deserving of life, if only so she could rest in peace with her revenge. Revenge he failed to supply her. He was a failure in every sense of the word, he had lost his one and only, he had lost his Mistress.

At least she didn't know the truth, at least she died not knowing that he had lied to her for six long years. He hated himself for failing her this way.

"Come, William, allow a maid to attend to her. I believe you could use a strong drink." Sebastian said calmly, putting a hand on the Shinigami's shoulder.

"No," He said firmly though a teary breath as he shrugged away the comforting shoulder he didn't deserve. "I won't leave her. She hates it when I leave her." He sobbed clutching the pale graying hand of his dead Mistress in his own gloved one, mumbling incoherencies.

"William, please," The butler said, the disdain that his voice usually held at this point mercifully absent, "Pull yourself together, she's just a human, there are plenty more where she came from."

"No!" He yelled releasing his grip on his Mistresses hand. "There aren't any more where she comes from, she's one of a kind, she's beautiful, she'd perfect! Girls like her don't just fall off of trees! She was mine, damn it, and no one can ever replace her."

"_Au contraire_, my good man, you see, hers wasn't an unusual mind set, neither were her experiences. If I had to guess I'd say there were thirty human girls in London alone with a similar vendetta to hers." The butler stated non-complacently, making no move to continue assuring or calming the quaking Shinigami in front of him. His master had been right, it would be easier this way.

"You obviously don't know what love is, you filthy demon scum. It's not enough that they've gone through the same things! They aren't her, they aren't my Genevieve! None of those girls are my Genevieve…" The Shinigami collapsed dejectedly, sobbing into his hands, paying no mind to the shame that he was doing himself.

There was an annoyed sigh from the butler before he grabbed the collar of the Shinigami's uniform and pulled him up from his resting spot in the floor.

"She is not dead Shinigami, honestly, would you stop your blubbering already. When she wakes up she'd going to think you're insane." He told him sternly setting the Reaper on his feet.

"What do you mean, she's not dead'? What have you done!?" He snarled, taking the butlers coat in hand and pulling him a mere inch from his deranged blue-green eyes.

"I have done nothing but what you were contracted to do. A mere three hours ago I found and irradicated the demon called Sebastian whom led the band of demons to her mansion, purely for my own purposes. I can't have a demon running around with my name doing such things. I have to live with this name the rest of my life. I certainly don't want to deal with anything like this again." The butler replied matter-of-fact-ly.

"So… she isn't dead?"

"No, the contract has been fulfilled; she's turning into a Shinigami." The butler didn't have the heart to say that she was going to die anyway. Sebastian had been the one to fulfill the contract, not William, and that wouldn't suffice. The girl was going to die at the end of her month, whether she was inducted or not.

"Thank you, thank you, Sebastian." The Shinigami gasped in relief. He'd never felt so unburdened before.

"Do not thank me, as I said I did it for myself. On top of that you still have to convince the Head of Dispatch to induct her with no prior training. That is a task I do not envy you for having, Shinigami."

"So I have no choice then?" He pondered, "I have to go back?"

"If you want to save her, yes, or you could leave her to die. She's just a human after all, and you've already given her more than she ever hoped for in her torment." The butler reminded him.

"That isn't the point. She deserves to be happy for the rest of her life. I can't let her die like this."

"She was happy for the rest of her life, William, and that's all you really could've hoped for. It isn't natural for a human to live as long as a Shinigami, and it will take a toll on her. Humans aren't meant to have the lifespans of the immortal. They wither in spirit, even if they stay the same in body. She has already prepared herself for death, she knows that it is coming, and to take that away from her, you'd be ruining the rest of her life. Death is something tortured humans long for."

"But… but… She can't die, Sebastian, don't you see? She's my whole world." He murmured, stroking the face of what he now knew to be his sleeping Mistress.

"If you really care about her you'll let her die. She'd be happier that way."

"Do you really think so?" He asked the butler, and he nodded.

"Yes, I do think so, if she were alive to tell you herself she'd say she wished to die."

"But then I'll die." He muttered, gazing at what was soon to be her eternally peaceful face. "I can't live without her."

"You lived without her for centuries." The butler reminded him.

"And you've lived without souls for years, tell me, if you had the option would you consume a soul?"

The butler didn't answer, having already understood the point. Once you have something that wonderful going back to being without it, it's torture.

* * *

Ceil watched the two aged beings speak for only a moment before returning to his study. He had no wish to gaze upon the broken Shinigami any longer. He knew that the death of William was unavoidable when he gave the order to Sebastian, and he shouldn't feel bad about it, but watching the ever stoic William crying on the floor like a giant baby, it made his heart twinge. He knew how it felt to lose what you loved most, he'd lost everything, but even so, it wasn't his place to care, nor was it his duty. So why did he care at all? The Shinigami's death was of no real concern to him, yet he somehow felt like he was viable for it.

He shook his head. He shouldn't let things like that trouble him, he knew, but it was hard…

Why was he concerning himself with this matter? He was Ciel Phantomhive of the Phantomhive Mansion, he was not so easily guilt-ed he did what he had to do to protect himself and his well being, and if the Shinigami's life was the cost of that then so be it. His own life was more important, of this he was absolutely positive.

* * *

Genevieve didn't remember dying, she had no idea why everyone was talking about her being dead. She was just asleep, asleep but able to hear things, and unable to rouse herself. She couldn't even call to Maga to awaken her, well she thought that was his name, but the longer she laid there, listening to the conversation between her butler and the butler of the Phantomhives the more she wondered about her butler's true identity.

The regal butler of the Phantomhives insisted on referring to her butler as William, and continueally addressed him as a 'Shinigami', and if she remembered correctly that meant Reaper. If that were indeed the case then why had she always refered to him as Maga, and thought he was a demon? Only one of them could be right, either the butler or Genevieve, and she was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion that she was being kept out of the loop.

Then there was all this talk of love, and her butler loving her. Preposterous, there was no way such a thing could ever be true, even Maga would never be so foolish as to fall in love with his food. Then, she had already established that he was not, in fact, a demon, and if that were the case then why would he even want her soul, and if he didn't then why did he make the contract with her?

_"The seal has bound you completely to her; almost like a marriage…"_

Oh no, it couldn't be, surely…

But then why would the butler of the Phantomhive house lie?

To scare them.

But what would be the point of that? There was no point to that. He had been telling the truth. She had been tricked, all this time she thought she'd made a Faustian Contract she had actually been engaged. How disconcerting. It would simply never do. In her sleep like state she couldn't even find it in herself to be angry, all she knew was that when she woke up her butler would be receiving a very firm lashing for lying to her.

But why lie to her? To this question she had no answer. Maybe he was telling the truth and he really did just want to protect her, but if that was the case why not just tell her he was a Shinigami rather than a demon. Surely he'd have had enough sense to know that that being the case she would've trusted him more, but alas, she was engaged against her will to a complete idiot, and a lying idiot at that. If she was a Shinigami when she woke up as they said, she'd be a very unhappy Shinigami.

Wait, what's this?

_"No, the contract has been fulfilled; she's turning into a Shinigami."_

So the Sebastian that had done this to her had been eradicated, splendid. In that case she could die as soon as she woke up. She didn't want to be a Shinigami, and she didn't want to join "The Dispatch" whatever that was, she just wanted to finally be laid to rest.

She found that she dozed, and stopped listening to their silly conversation after that. That was until her interest was piqued by a single phrase.

_"If you really care about her you'll let her die. She'd be happier that way."_

When was it ever his decision whether or not she died!? If anyone was going to decide if she died it was going to be her! No one was going to tell her when to die! Especially not that damn red-eyed butler.

_"Do you really think so?" _

No, Damn it all! Why was he being so stupid! He knew that she hated decisions being made for her, the bloody fool! Why was he so damn stupid! Had she always had such an insolent man in contract to her!?

_"Yes, I do think so, if she were alive to tell you herself she'd say she wished to die."_

Whether I would or not is not your choice to make foolish demon, stop swaying my butler with your vicious lies!

_"But then I'll die. I can't live without her."_

Yes, Maga, that's it, you don't want me to die, you know better than to make my deciscions for me, don't you. Come now, be whisked away by idiot fantasies of happily ever after you halfwit romantic. Don't you dare let him convince you to let me die.

_"You lived without her for centuries." _

But that's not the point Maga dear, that just isn't the point. If you really love me you'll let me choose for myself you moron.

_"And you've lived without souls for years, tell me, if you had the option would you consume a soul?"_

So am I to live or not?

That was the question.

* * *

***Quick Note***

**Hello Again!**

**I know, it's a little short, sorry about that, but I wanted to leave it right here and put off deciding the answer to that particular question next week, or whenever I happen to get around to it. So thanks to highland girl 1592 I will not be doing any CielxSebastian because she makes a valid point, a point you can read in the reviews section. Also, she reviewed every single chapter, which was so kind of her, so if you're reading highland girl you are positively my favorite reader so far, and I was legitimately smiling at all of your reviews. You really know how to bring a girl up out of a funk. I honestly was considering just not updating this week until I read all your reviews.**

**In other knews… Gene isn't dead! I didn't have the heart to kill her yet, there are so many unanswered questions, like why did William leave the dispatch? And why was he randomly able to mark Gene when he didn't even know that he could? And who the heck is the Sebastian that Sebby just killed?**

**Good questions right?**

**Those are all questions I'm asking myself.**

**I make most of this up as I go along, BTW, so if there are plot holes that's probably why. Feel free to point such things out to me, I'll do my best to fix them.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. **

**-Isola**


	7. Her Butler, Negotiating

***Quick Note***

**Just in case I didn't make this abundantly clear (Which I now realize I didn't) What I had meant to put in the last chapter through subtle hints and notions was that Gene's death was inevitable, which was what Sebastian and Ciel were keeping from William. When Sebastian killed other Sebastian instead of William the contract became obsolete and like it was stated earlier if the contract isn't fulfilled they both die, or maybe I meant to say that and didn't say it. Oh well, that was what you were supposed to get from my poorly written chapters. Hope you enjoy the next one.**

**-Isola**

* * *

She hung on bated breath as she awaited the answer of her butler to the question that had her newvous beyond compare. Was he just going to kill her? She wasn't against dying… but she didn't want to be murdered by her own butler.

_"I-I can't,"_ Her butler murmured, "_I just can't. I've never felt this way before. I've never _felt _before. I can't just let it go, and I don't care that it's selfish. I've been selfless for years serving her. Just this once I will do what I want. I want her to wake up, and if she wants to die then… Then I'll do it."_

_"Now, William, think about this for a moment,"_

Shut up you pointless butler! She shouted from inside her mind.

_"There's nothing to think about. I won't let her die, not of my own will, but if she asks for it… I can't deny her anything."_ He took Genevieve's cold graying hand in his own and kissed it tenderly. _"I just can't kill her."_

The butler sighed. _"If that is what you wish then fine, but remember she can't wake up unless she's been inducted into the Dispatch, and I don't know how you'll manage to do that without going back there."_

"I'll try my hardest, for her sake," He whispered, stroking her face lovingly. He'd never loved anyone, or anything for that matter, before Genevieve had entered his life, but the moment he saw her he was smitten. She had him wrapped around her little finger with her strength and her innocence even in the face of all she had seen. He had never loved anyone before, but if he was going to love someone he was glad that it was going to be this angel.

Angel.

He wondered…

No…

If she ever found out…

He shook the thought from his head and just looked at his Mistress's sleeping face for a moment. He wouldn't ask an angel to change her, to rewrite her past, because it would change her, and even though he wanted to take her pain away there was no telling if the Genevieve that would emerge from that would be the same one that he loved. No, he couldn't even think about it. There was no way she'd be the same.

"I'll be back soon, my love," He murmured, kissing her forehead before turning to make his exit. He took one last look at her face before he jumped from the window, continually assuring himself that this was all for her, and he had to do this for her.

* * *

She was shocked into a mental silence at his tenderness.

_"My love"_

She had never known her butler had any sort of romantic feelings for her, and she had no idea that they went so deep. She was flabbergasted. If she had been able to move at all her mouth would've been hanging open. It was one thing to say in passing to someone else that he loved her, but to come right out and call her his love… She didn't know why it was affecting her so much, why it was hitting her so much differently in this new form, and she didn't know why her forehead tingled where his lips had touched it. She was so confused.

_How can he love me?_ She asked herself. _I'm such a wreck, how can anyone love me?_ She didn't understand it. It seemed like a whole lifetime ago since Maga had just been her butler, now everyone was calling him William, and a Shinigami, and she had to be inducted into the Dispatch, whatever that was, and she was just so confused. There was a hornet stinging her brain, it hurt to think, there was a pounding in her skull that was killing her and she was about to pass out, if she could pass out and become anymore unconscious than she already was.

Nothing was making sense, everything was black and fuzzy, and then there was just… nothingness. She entered a calm type of detachment from reality, where she still knew what was going on, she could still hear and feel and smell, she just couldn't comprehend the things around her.

It was calm in her world of nothingness, much calmer than her panicking had been. She was finally free of stress she'd been carrying on her back for years, six years that felt like centuries melted away as she traveled on her cloud of darkness into the cool calm world that was her fantastical reality.

* * *

William was dead set on making his brother induct her. He'd be damned if he let her die over a feud that should've ended centuries ago. It was going to take all he had, and literally murder his pride, but he had no other option. He was going back to the dispatch, back to the Shinigami world, and back to the son of a bitch brother who had forced him to abandon the dispatch six years ago.

He didn't regret leaving now nearly as much as he did in that first month without his Genevieve, but he would be lying if he said he didn't miss the order and organization of the dispatch, feeling important, because without him they simply would've fallen apart, feeling like he belonged. He knew his place now was beside the girl he had damned to either eternity or death, but that was a different sense of belonging. He missed being a part of a group, an organization, that needed him. He was sure that left to her own devices Genevieve would do just fine, and maybe the dispatch didn't _need _him, but it was probably running a hell of a lot smoother before his brother took over.

His brother, his two-faced, lying, cheating brother. He hated Edward C. Spears with a passion. A fiery one at that. Always mother's favorite, always at the top of his class, and while none of these things mattered to William they apparently mattered to everyone around him. Little did they know that he was the one doing all his brother's homework, and little did they know that the perfect +A student was a cheater who could lie though his teeth with ease. They were all so ignorant, taken in by his charm and grace, when his brother was nothing but a crook, a crooked crook.

* * *

He sighed as he entered the dispatch gasps and awws and murmurs as gossip began to spread already. It was only seconds before he was apprehended and taken, as he expected, to the main office where his brother sat in a chair, filing paperwork the way he would've done not so long ago.

"Brother, how nice to see you again. Come back to grovel for a job? Was life in the human world without a scythe too difficult for you?" The black haired Shinigami that closely resembled him asked with a small smirk running across his lips as he continued sorting through papers, not even sparing his brother a glance. He was glad to finally see William back at the dispatch, glad to have the chance to show him up yet again.

"Actually, I was getting along quite well, but it appears a friend of mine has not been." He stated, giving nothing away, slipping back into his usual stoic demeanor.

"Oh?" He asked, looking up. The last time he had checked his brother had no friends, what could be, or rather who could be, so important that he'd come back here? William had made it quite clear that he never wanted anything to do with the dispatch again.

He glanced over his brother's stoic face and looked him over. He was in… a butler's uniform? No, it couldn't be. He smirked as he saw the blood on his shirt.

"Brother, what have you been up to?" He questioned.

The Shinigami felt his eye twitch ever so slightly, and unfortunately Edward caught the tic.

"Don't tell me you've been degraded to a servant! A God of Death, a Grimm Reaper, a servant to a human!" Edward barked out a laugh and the men holding William in place seemed to shake slightly with their own laughter. It took everything he had to keep from lashing out and revealing that he still had his scythe. He took a deep breath and then looked his brother in the eye, waiting for him to stop babbling like an idiot.

"I am a servant, of my own free will, to the Lady of Abbey House," William assured him.

"Oh, it's a girl, is it?" He grinned mischeviously. "Now, now, William, don't tell me you've gone and fallen for her."

He made no move to answer.

"Oh, that is rich." He laughed, "A Shinigami in love with a human!"

He stayed stoic, and said nothing, preferring to wait out his brother's laughter.

"Are you quite done?" He asked, shrugged easily out of the loosening grips of the men holding him so he could push his glasses farther up his nose. "I'll have you know, Edward, that I'd prefer loving her in the human world to being here, but that's beside the point."

"And what is the point, pray tell, dear brother?" The Shinigami asked, a light in his eyes as he saw the beginnings of a bargain.

"I need her inducted into the dispatch." He said simply, offering no other explaination.

Edward was left dumbfounded, flabbergasted at the atrocious statement. _Inducted into the dispatch_!

"And how do you propose I do that?" He asked, and William sighed.

"If you can get it done, I can get you anything you'd like in return. I've maintained fairly substancial contacts in the human world, I have the means."

"That doesn't answer my question, brother. How do you suggest I go about inducting her into the dispatch?"

"I don't know, figure it out, and do so quickly, you have a month, and if you do not then I will have my many demon and angel contacts raining down hell itself on this dispatch. I would have nothing against destroying this place, and you, for good. Humans all be damned."

Edward sputtered.

"W-William, come now, be reasonable. Humans can't just become Shinigami, it's never been done!"

"If you look farther back you'll see it has. I've made a courtship contract with her, and I want her inducted before she dies. If she dies I will not make light on my threat. In fact," William pulled his glasses off and rubbed a speck of dust off of them with an eyeglass cloth he pulled from his breast pocket, "I will make sure that you are tortured, and suffer the sort of pain my Genevieve has, tenfold, and once your body has been mutilated I will drag your own scythe across your chest and leave you to bleed out onto the floor." He replaced his glasses on his face and gave his brother one last stoic glance.

Edward said nothing, just stared at his brother. The cold determined look in his eyes was one that meant business. The Shinigami was sure that his brother meant every word, but how was he to go about inducting her?

"I will be back in a week, be ready to induct her then." William said before exiting the office that had once been his and then the dispatch all together, eager to get back to his Mistress.

* * *

"If we're lucky he won't get them to induct her." Ciel said as he conversed with his butler over his tea. He usually wasn't so merciful, but for some reason he was trying very hard to keep the Shinigami from knowing what had happened. Perhaps it was to save his own skin, and perhaps not, but even so he didn't want William to know that the girl's death was inevitable. He'd prefer that he just give up hope so he wouldn't be disappointed when she didn't wake up in a month.

"And since when is the spawn of hell lucky?" He asked nonchalantly as he stood to the side, awaiting orders from his master.

"Do not be so snippy, Sebastian," Ciel inflected before taking a sip of his tea and gently clearing his throat. "Your pessimism is irritating."

"Yes, My Lord." He bowed, accepting his master's castigation.

Ciel sighed and set his tea cup down. "Sebastian, why do I care so much?" He asked, flashing back to the pain in the Shinigami's eyes when he thought the girl was dead. Just the thought made his heart constrict with pain.

"My Lord, if I may speak freely…"

"Yes, please, do," Ciel waved away the pretense and set his elbow on the desk, leaning his head against his hand to prop it up as he stared at the boring tan colored carpet.

"Well, sir, it seems to me that you want them to succeed." Sebastian started, wary of his master's temper. It was fun to irritate Ciel now and again, but now was a time for seriousness, not for play. "Perhaps, My Lord, this stems from some want of your own for a successful relationship."

"How ridulous," The teen scoffed, picking up a scone and nibbling at it before setting it down, "Why would I want a relationship? I've got everything I could ever need."

The butler didn't rebuttle his young master's statement, but he did not miss the crease in his masters brow as he thought over his previous statement. Ciel's need for human company did not surprise him in the slightest. He had had his revenge, and was content now, the bitterness that was in him before had dissipated in him some over the years with the closer, but even so, the boy was once human, and all humans had the need for companionship, which the boy had none of accept in the brief moments before he consumed a soul. He didn't bother with the contract, simply lured his prey while Sebastian watched on, assuring his safe return to the carriage and then seeing to the disposal of the body. Sebastian himself had taken to devouring souls at will, since he could not serve two masters at once, and though the thought didn't appease him it was better than starving.

No, Ciel, was lonely, there was no doubt about it. Whether the boy would admit it to himself or not he needed a companion, but demons do not love, and humans die too soon. A worthy task of the Phantomhive butler, finding his bratty master a companion. He smiled ever so slightly just as Ciel glanced up.

"And what are you so happy about?" He asked monotonously, though he almost heard a hint of sadness in the teen's voice.

"Just dinner preparations, sir. If that will be all then I'll begin seeing to them."

"Yes, fine, go then." The teen waved him away, taking his spoon from the tray and swirling it in the half empty tea cup. The boy seemed bored, almost depressed. A companion; that was all the butler could think, the boy needed a companion. Perhaps then he wouldn't be so insufferable.

* * *

When he got back, just as he expected, she was still asleep. He knew she wouldn't be awake when he returned, but he had hoped just the same, and with that hope came disappointment at her sleeping state, but he had to think positively. At least she wasn't dead.

That hadn't helped at all. Now he was thinking about her being dead, and if he was being honest with himself just the thought was tearing a hole in his chest. He didn't want to think about her being dead, he just didn't.

He took the chair from the wall and set it close to her bed, taking her hand gently in his. She was so cold. He removed his glove and pressed his fingers to her pulse point, surprised to find it thrumming like a hummingbird's heart. There was a knot in the pit of his stomach. Was she alright? She was cold and her pulse was racing, was that normal? Of course no one could tell him, because no one would know, accept maybe…

No, he wasn't going to go see that raving mad man. He refused. He'd take care of this on his own, besides, he was sure that it wasn't a big deal anyway; it was probably just her body preparing to become practically immortal.

But he wasn't sure. How could he be sure? How could he be sure that he would be sure if he went to him?

He felt his head spin, having run himself around in circles, and after the journey and the sleep-deprivation it was a wonder he wasn't a mass of sleeping Shinigami on the floor. Already he could feel his eyes drooping, and his breathing slowing, He didn't want to sleep, but soon he found himself crumpled on the floor, his head against the side of the mattress and her hand still firmly grasped in his. Even in sleep he refused to let her go.

* * *

After dismissing his butler Ciel went to check on the girl and the Shinigami. He was surprised at the sight he was greeted with upon opening the ornate door that lead to the room where the girl was being housed.

Sitting on the floor was William T. Spears, collapsed against the bed of the pale girl her hand in his. His heart ached, and Sebastian's words hit home yet again.

He couldn't even have a relationship, so wanting one would be a waste of his time, but that didn't change much. Like the fact that he was lonely more often than not in the house filled to the brim with servants who were too scared to even look him in the eyes, his craving for some sort of friend, any sort of friend, didn't make anything happen. He couldn't make friends with humans, not real friends, because sooner or later they'd die, or start asking questions he didn't have the answers to, and the few demons he had met were always horrible. Angels looked down on him, Shinigami hated him, it was like he was destined to be alone for all of his eternity as a lifeless being, living off of other, but having no one to call his own, it saddened him.

He hated when Sebastian was right.

The young boy sighed and closed the door the room, not sure why he had gone in the first place, unbeknownst to him standing just around the corner was an observant Sebastian, and while he didn't particularly enjoy being enslaved to the boy he hated to see him unhappy. Of course he hated this simply because an unhappy Ciel was an annoying and insufferable Ciel, and that wasn't something he wanted to deal with for the rest of eternity.

But, if he were telling himself the truth he had some empathy for the boy. No one truly wants this sort of existence, and Ciel had been forced into it, it was a shame really.

* * *

***Quick Note II***

**So, I got in a lot more Ciel/Sebastian time. I really enjoy writing scenes between them, they're so great, and I'm starting to get an idea for a Ciel/OC sequel to this, but we'll see how this works out, anyway I'm glad I came up with the lonely thing. I was having a hard time figuring out why Ciel was acting so weird, but I think that made quite a bit of sense. Also, William has a brother! A crooked crook of a brother, (More on that Story in the next chapter) and isn't William so adorable? I feel so bad for doing all this to him, but alas, it must be done in the name of the story.**

**Hope you enjoyed J**

**-Isola**


	8. Her Butler, Suffocating

Edward was frantic as he searched the library, looking for a way to induct the girl into the dispatch before his brother brought hell raining down upon the dispatch. Had some said ten years ago his brother would be making such a threat he would've laughed and waved the tale weaver away, but now Edward wasn't sure what William was capable of. He had left the dispatch, left behind the Shinigami way, the rules, everything he had ever held sacred, and everyone knew that it was Edward's doings that had driven him away. Knowing how much his brother loved the Shinigami way he wasn't sure what his brother would do in anger. He had never seen his brother angry accept for that one day, the day he left.

He had just been demoted, and Edward moved to his position, and William was furious. There had been a fire in his eyes that the Shinigami never would've admitted he was afraid of, but most certainly was. The reaper had thrown his glasses off, and thrown his spear to the ground and left behind the Dispatch, throwing Shinigami in his way into the walls and destroying anything in his way. He had said nothing, but they all knew that the ever calm William had just been pushed past his breaking point. Edward had expect his brother to be angry, but not as angry as he was, and after seeing that anger he wasn't sure what his brother would do if his demands were not met, so he was now searching the library for the solution to his particular problem.

There didn't seem to be one. In every book that was even slightly helpful they all said the same thing, Shinigami are born, not turned. Such a thing was unheard of, at least in his time, but then again, he wasn't nearly as old as a particular loony old man running a coffin shop in London. He did not want to make the trip but as he skimmed the last book in the library he realized he had no choice.

He re-shelved the book he'd been pawing through straightened his glasses and then acted on his choice to go and see Undertaker.

* * *

When he came to William found himself cramped and unhappy. He started to stand only to realize that he still held the hand of his mistress in his own. He sat back down on the floor and just looked at her soft pale hand resting delicately, and without resistance, in his. He knew that once she was awoke things like this wouldn't happen. He knew for a fact she hated when he showed his emotions, so he could never tell her he loved her, or even that he cared for her. She'd never listen to such things. She'd say that she was upset by such nonsense, and tell him to stop saying those things. He could hear her little voice now. He sighed wistfully and rubbed his gloved thumb over her knuckles, which looked unhealthily pale. He removed his glove and pressed his fingers to her wrist, just in case, and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her hearts continuing rhythm.

"She won't die unless she isn't inducted or she's murdered. There's nothing to worry about, William, honestly," The demon scoffed entering the room and seeing the sight that there was to behold. A god of death crumpled on the ground because of a mortal girl. It was ridiculous.

"You've never loved demon, you don't know what it is to fear losing what you love." The Shinigami replied, stroking his Mistress's hand, not bothering to stand.

"Perhaps you're right, but it's because of my ability to look at your situation objectively that I know that you're acting foolishly. If you're cramped and exhausted how do you expect to be able to protect her?" The demon reasoned, if only so he could prove the Shinigami wrong.

The Shinigami wasn't so easily swayed. "Leaving her side would put distance between us. If she were awake she would hate this." He muttered, caressing her hand lovingly. He knew exactly what he was saying when he said she would hate this. She hated when he was endearing, when he showed her emotions, it made her angry, and he hated for her to be angry, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her and he knew neither the butler nor Ciel Phantomhive would say anything about the situation once she awoke.

The butler would've rolled his eyes, but he decided not to with his young master standing in the doorway, rather he left wordlessly, bowing to his master, before going to make him a pot of tea.

_He's an idiot. _She thought as she felt him press his face to her hand, a gesture he had become quite fond of as of late. Unfortunately, she had no power to stop the act, and was forced to endure it.

She had had more time on her hands in the last several days than she would've preferred. She hated the way that she was completely out of control of everything aside from her thoughts. She had only her thoughts to keep her mental solitude from silence, and her thoughts were almost never pleasant. She had time to think about Maga, her Maga, at least, the man that she once thought was her Maga, only now did she realize that he was not Maga, or even hers, he was just a fraud, and she loathed that. She hated that she was deceived, she hated that she was lied to, she wished above all things that she would just wake up so she'd have things to do to preoccupy her mind other than thinking about the only things that seemed to share her thought space in the most recent days.

The lies and the Darkness.

He talked to her sometimes, and then she had something besides her thoughts, but usually he said things that upset her, or reminded her of the lies he had told her, so many uncountable lies.

After the butler made his leave she was left with a frustrated Maga to keep her company, and she listened to his ranting without hearing what he said. He could go on for hours at times about how much the demon frustrated him, and that wasn't a welcome distraction because it reminded her that he was not what she always thought he was, and that there was never going to be an end to the journey they had embarked on, she unknowingly, him completely aware of what he was doing to her.

She had put together what was happening, having had more than enough time to think, and people stupid enough to speak of the secrets they meant to kept hidden from her right in front of her. She knew what was going to happen, and in a single rare moment when Sebastian had paid her a visit she got a key piece of information that she suspected was the reason he tried to convince Maga to just let her go, it was hopeless, it didn't matter what happened, she was going to die anyway. She wasn't sure, or even beginning to understand, why, she just knew that all of Maga's work to attempt to keep her alive would be fruitless, because in the end she was going to die.

It was hard thing to come to terms with, her own death. It wasn't something the average person had to think about, but she did, she had pondered it, and it wasn't something she enjoyed pondering. She had no sense of time, but she was sure that her time was running low. Soon Maga was going to go and meet someone, and try and get something done that would keep her alive, but she was sure that it wasn't going to work.

Nothing was going to work.

That inescapable sadness encompassed her once more, she couldn't run from the deeper depression that seemed to haunt her every thought. She was constantly hurting inside from everything, and when once playing games with her butler and occupying company would distract her from it, now she had no distractions. The darkness that was always within her, if only slightly suppressed, became more and more evident the longer she laid there. The more time she spent with only her thoughts the more the memories came back, the more details there were, the more darkness there was.

* * *

_The pain was excruciating. There was no one coming to save her, she knew that much now. She had been here for months, and no one had come to save her, to help her. There was no prince coming in white armor to rescue her. She was on her own. She couldn't fight what she couldn't see, and even if she could see them she knew the things that were torturing her were too big for her to fight. She would just have to wait it out. Certainly one day they'd be foolish enough to leave the door open, or something of a similar nature, and then she'd make her leave. She wasn't stupid enough to try every time they left, but she tried, every once in a while, just to keep her spirits up._

_But the pain was excruciating. There was an evil thing inside of her, something that seemed to enjoy tearing her apart from the inside out. She was beginning to suspect what it was, but she didn't want to know, so she made no conscious effort to figure it out._

_It wasn't hard to guess. She knew how pregnancy worked, and at the rate they went it would only make sense that she was pregnant. The only thing that killed her was thinking that she was pregnant with the baby of one of those things. She hated to think that something that was supposed to be so sweet came from something so evil. She didn't want to believe that a child was the answer, but she was starting to think it was the only one._

_But the pain was excruciating. No matter how she moved or where she hid, they always seemed to know exactly where she was and exactly how to hurt her. The pain was excruciating, unabating, and constant. There was never a moment when she was without the pain. Even in sleep she was in pain as she relived her nightmare over and over and over again. Watching her family home burn around her and smelling the charred flesh. It was disgusting, and it was horrifying, and she wished that she was dead too._

_Death never came for her though, something worse did. Life-in-Death, pain and suffering, had won her by a mile, but she didn't understand what she had done to deserve it._

_She had fought with all her might against the great black brute that was terrifying in and of himself. She hadn't even subdued him by a little. She didn't understand how anyone could be so cruel as to do this to a girl, but the demon didn't seem to care about whether or not she was a young girl or not, and the pain was excrutiating. She had stopped fighting by the time he was finished with her, she was too tired to even move by then. Everything hurt. There was no cruelty spared to her. She was about as lifeless as a ragdoll then, but she could still hear._

_"I quite like her, she's so tight, what do you say we keep her? Her souls not worth much anyway, it could be a good investment."_

_There was a soft gargle-like, chuckle, and she shuddered. "I don't see why not, carry her back, we'll just keep her in the dark room."_

_There was another one of those disgusting sounding laughs and she groaned almost inaudibly. She didn't want to be kept, she wanted to die. Why did she have to live through so much pain, and she was sure that there was more to come. She had no idea what she had done to deserve this pain. She just knew that it hurt, and it hurt terribly, and she just wanted to be left alone._

_Her dreams seemed to be a compilation of the worst rapes and the most burtal beatings leading up to the present. Even in her dreams she wasn't allowed to escape her imprisonment in the dark room. She was forever a slave to Life-in-Death. Forever tormented for evils she didn't know she had done._

_There was just so much pain…_

* * *

She pulled herself from the flashback, forcing herself awake, not liking one bit the realistic nature of the flashback into a life that was no longer hers. She refused to allow it to be hers. She was a noblewoman, and there was nothing that was going to change that. She refused to become weak like she once was. She had fought her way through that life, putting everything she had into her survival, and she would be damned if she was going to be forced to remember it. She had lived it once, she didn't need to live it twice.

She became aware once again of the gentle touch of Maga's fingers on her cheek, like he knew she needed comforting. She hated that she managed to find solice the gentle touch, She hated it with a fury she couldn't explain.

"I have to go check on something, my love." He kissed her palm, and she heard the sound of his clothes rubbing against themselves as he stood. "I'll be back soon."

And there went the last of the things she could distract herself with.

She would've sighed had she been capable of showing outside emotions, but she wasn't so she settled with sighing inside her mind.

She was sure that she'd go crazy before she died.

* * *

***Quick Note***

**So I'm sure that if you're one of the wonderful people who held out you know that I was suppose to update several weeks ago, so I'm just going to skip to my list of excuses.**

**Classes have been really taxing lately.**

**I've been writing more songs and poems lately than I usually do, so that has been where all my creative energy has been going.**

**I just haven't felt like it. My patience has been about paper thin lately, and I just couldn't make myself sit down.**

**I have no idea how I'm going to do this. There is honestly just so many things that could go wrong right now, and I'm stuck.**

**But now that that's all done, a great big thanks to all of you who stuck around, I'm going to TRY to stick to my previously established updating schedule, but this really took that entire time to write, so we'll have to see.**

**And now what did you think? Is it complete shit? I feel like it's complete shit, but only because it's filler. I'm taking Jonathon to see the undertaker in the next chapter, so that could be a load of fun, maybe I'll have William and Jonathon meet, but we'll see.**

**Thanks for reading all of you.**


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